Ubuntu-powered smartphones to ship in October

Shane McGlaun, 7th February 2013

We last discussed the Canonical Ubuntu-powered smartphone a few weeks ago when it was confirmed the devices would use all four corners of the screen to provide a more immersive experience.

However, we didn't have a clear idea at the time of when we would see the Ubuntu-powered smartphones hit the market. Fortunately, Canonical CEO Mark Shuttleworth has outlined a definite launch window for the handsets.

According to Shuttleworth, smartphones running the Ubuntu operating system will begin shipping to customers in October of 2013. Meanwhile, Canonical reps note that developers will be able to access the operating system to start developing applications and other software as early as this February. The early version of the OS offered to devs will be optimized to run on the Galaxy Nexus smartphone manufactured by Samsung.

Shuttlesworth also notes that users will be able to run other operating systems on the device, including Windows, Androi and iOS.

Of course, the success of Ubuntu-powered smartphones is far from guaranteed. While the operating system is popular among open-source developers, the bring your own device (BYOD) movement in the corporate world means that employees will opt for their own handsets, making them more likely an iPhone or Android device for their business and personal needs.

Shuttlesworth also noted that the Ubuntu operating system would be available in two large geographic markets in October. North America wasn't specifically named as one of those markets, but the company has previously confirmed the States as a key market for Ubuntu.